Chimneys are built to withstand extremely high temperatures and last a very long time. Even chimneys, however, need service once in a while. Here are three times when you should contact a chimney service professional if your home or cottage has a chimney.

1. Annually Before the Heating Season

Every home that has a chimney should be inspected by a chimney service professional once per year, and the inspection ideally ought to be done shortly before the heating season. For example, you'd want a professional to look at your home's chimney sometime in October if you usually start using the fireplace or wood stove in November each year.

During this inspection, the chimney service professional will check for structural issues and make sure there aren't any animals living in your chimney. Both of these are uncommon issues, though. The more common problem that they'll take care of is creosote.

Creosote is a material that builds up as smoke travels through the chimney. When too much creosote collects in a chimney, it can combust and quickly cause a raging chimney fire. Once full-blown, a chimney fire can spread to other parts of the building.

To prevent this from happening, a chimney service professional simply needs to clean out the chimney. This service is commonly referred to as sweeping the chimney. As long as the chimney is swept once before each heating season, you shouldn't have any chimney fires.

2. Whenever You Notice a New Crack

While structural problems aren't common in chimneys, they can develop -- and structural issues are extremely dangerous when they do occur. Depending on the specific structural problem that a chimney is having, the chimney could be at risk of improperly ventilating the fireplace or collapsing altogether.

Should you ever notice a new crack in your chimney, immediately have a chimney service professional check the chimney. A crack is often an initial sign of a developing issue, and a professional will be able to properly assess it. They will likely know of an inexpensive fix that you can use before the damage becomes too serious.

3. Anytime You Purchase a Home with a Chimney

If you ever purchase a home or cottage that has a chimney, ask a chimney service professional to inspect the chimney before you close on the building. You'll want to know whether there are any issues with the chimney before you finish all of the paperwork.

To learn more about when your chimney might need maintenance or repair, contact a company that offers chimney services.

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